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Name: Wong Wai-tung Age: 48 Occupation: Building engineer

Young Post: Are building engineers in Hong Kong registered?

Wong: Yes, we are registered with the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers. There  was no such system when I studied for a higher diploma in the late 1970s.

I became a member of the institution when it was set up in 1989.

YP: What does your work involve?

W: I am a deputy manager of the project monitoring department at Sun Hung Kai Properties, one of the largest property developers in Hong Kong.

I ensure the building contractors use high-quality materials. I also monitor their work, which has to be of a high standard.

For example, I have to check the windows to make sure that there will be no water leakage when it rains.

Also, I check the thickness of the floor, the width of doors and the location of sockets.

We can't afford to overlook these details. If a socket is placed too low and likely to be blocked by cabinets, we may have to move it higher.

If it's just one socket it's okay. But imagine if we have to do this  for an entire residential complex where hundreds of flats may be affected. It will be a waste of time and money. That's why we have to keep a close eye on the contractors.

YP: What projects have you worked on?

W: I've worked on many projects. My recent projects include The Arch in Kowloon and the Four Seasons Hotel in Central. They are very large-scale projects.

YP: What is the greatest satisfaction you get from your job?

W: I am very happy that I was involved in building a hospital and a hotel.  They are two of the  most difficult projects in our field.

I played a part in the construction of Prince of Wales Hospital in Sha Tin when I worked for another company in the '80s. I found it very challenging  because the requirements of a hospital are so different from other buildings.

The same applies to hotels.  In a residential building, there may be five to eight flats with a similar design.

But a hotel has dozens of rooms, such as single rooms, deluxe rooms, presidential suite, conference room and a ballroom.

They all have different designs  and use different building materials.  So it's much more complex.

YP: What are the qualities of a good building engineer?

W: You must have good communication skills because you have to explain your ideas clearly to the contractors.

Also, you have to be able to cope with deadlines because any delays could cost a company millions of dollars.

YP: What are the prospects for building engineers?

W: They can look forward to a successful career.

The local property market is improving while the mainland offers lots of opportunities for young engineers.

Resume

1977: Graduated with a higher diploma in building technology and management from Hong Kong Polytechnic (now Hong Kong Polytechnic University) and worked for two contractors over the next nine years

1986: Joined Sun Hung Kai Properties as contract administrator

1989: Registered  as a building engineer

1991: Promoted as deputy manager at Sun Hung Kai

2001: Selected as chairman of the building discipline advisory panel of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers for a one-year term

How to get there

Programme: Higher diploma in Building Services Engineering

School: PolyU

Duration: two years

Characteristics: Students will have hands-on experience with the operation, maintenance and testing of building services system.

Enquiries: 2766 5847 or www.bse.polyu.edu.hk

Programme: BEng (Hons) in Building Engineering

School: City University of Hong Kong

Duration: three years

Enquiries: 2788 7609 or www.bc.cityu.edu.hk

The path

Site engineer or co-ordinator (on-the-job training for three to five years before charter; starting salary around $12,000)

Senior engineer or deputy site-in-charge (Registered  as a building engineer, monitoring a whole project)

Construction manager (Monitors a number of projects at the same time)



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Sun Hung Kai Properties

Solid foundation